Fuel feeding apparatus for gasdriven turbines



Juy l0, 1951 J. MALoNE Erm.

FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS FOR GAS DRIVEN TURB'INES Filed April 24. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ua K Ob, @,m' ATTORNEY Amas L.MALQNE.

5 I \\\ll n..

WITNESSES Patented July 10, 1951 FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS FOB GAS- DRIVEN TURBINES James L. Malone, Swarthmore, and Matthew McKinnell, Chester, Pa., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Y Application April 24, 1945, Serial No. 589,978

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to control devices, more particularly to devices for controlling the supply of fuel to combustion apparatus furnishing heat for operation of a motor, and has for an object to provide improved devices of this character.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a novel control responsive to a plurality of forces, one of which forces is derived from the medium being controlled.

The present invention, whilenot limited thereto, is particularly adapted to be used to control a gas turbine power plant similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Stewart Way, Serial No. 482,533, filed April 10, 1943, now Patent No. 2,405,723, granted August 13, 1946. A power plant of the type disclosed in the mentioned Way application includes an axial-flow air compressor, air heating apparatus, a 'gas turbine, and a propulsion jet nozzle, all housed in line within a streamlined tubular casing. A plant of this character is particularly suitable for propelling aircraft at high speeds and operates generally as follows: Air enters the forward 'end of the tubular casing, which is pointed in the direction of flight, and is compressed in the compressor, the compressed air .then being heated in the heating apparatusby the combustion of fuel supported by the compressed air.v The resulting motive iluid comprising the products of combii'stion and the excess compressed air drives the turbine and is then discharged through the prop 'ulsion nozzle asa jet, the reaction of which [serves to propel the aircraft. The turbine ex- .tracts at least sufficient power from the motive uid to drive the compressor and auxiliaries. The fuel is supplied to the air heating apparatus, under the control of a, throttle valve, by means of a positive displacement pump' which is preferably driven by the turbine. Therefore, yet another object of the invention is to provide, in aircraft propulsion apparatus including a combustion chamber for furnishing heat for operation of a turbine and a. pump for supplying fuel to the chamber, a device for coutrolling the flow of fuel in response to changes in speed of the turbine.

These and other objects are effected by the (Cl. 15S-36.4)

ing broken away to show certain details of construction;

Fig. 42 is a diagrammatic representation of the fuel system; n y

Fig 3 is an enlarged sectional view of speed governor mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown inFig.3.

The power plant shi-own in Fig. l'comprises.

in general, an outer tubular casing structure I Il,H

open from end to end and having a central core II providing, with the casing, an annular iiow passage I2, which, if theplant is to be used for propelling an aircraft, is adapted to extend foreV and aft with respect to the aircraft. 'I'he cen-` the casing I0 by hollow compressor guide valles Il.

The core II also includes the rotor 2| of an axial-now compressor 22, the fixed blades of A which are carried by the casing I0, the rotor 23 invention as will be apparent from the following of a gas turbine 2l, and a.i longitudinally adjust-y able conical tailpiece 25 which denes with the rear end of the casing Ill an adjustable propulsion nozzle 26. A

The intermediate portion of the core struc-- ture between the compressor 22 and the turbine 24 comprises an inner tubular wall structure2`l which houses a shaft 28'. connecting `the turbine rotor 23 and compressor rotor 2|. The 'inner wall structure 2l defines, with the casing III, an

annular chamber 23 connecting the compressor' blade passage and the turbine blade passage.

The chamber 23 is provided with suitable means for heating the air compressed by the compi-csf sor. In the embodiment shown, an annular burner tube 3| of conical section and provided with numerous perforations 30, is mounted in the an` nular chamber 23 with itslarge open end 32 dirccted downstream. Fuel is supplied to the burner tube 3l from a manifold 33, connectedto a fuel supply as hereinafter described, and vis fed through branch pipes 3l to atomizing nozzles 35 extending into the burner tubev at spaced points about the periphery thereof adjacent the apex 36. Suitable means, including spark plugs 3l ex tending into the burner tube,v are provided for' igniting the air-fuel mixture in the tube. Y

The present invention is concerned with the specific design of the governor fuel control l1. I

and not with the details of the remaining apparatus referred to thus far, although such remaining apparatus is preferably constructed in accordance with the disclosure of the above-mentioned Way application.

The power plant operates substantially as follows: Air enters the casing l at the inlet il, is compressed by the compressor 22, and flows into the annular chamberii, which may function as a diuser to effect further compression. The compressed air then passes through the openings 3l in the walls of the burner tube 3l and mixes with the atomlzed fuel supplied by the nozzles Il. The air and fuel mixture is ignited by the spark plugs 31 and burns steadily thereafter. The motive huid comprising the products of combustion and the excess air iiows from the burner tube 3| and is directed by iixed guide van or nozzles SI into the blade passage of the turbine rotor 23. 'I'he turbine 24 extracts at leastI suilicient energy from the motive fluid to drive the compressor 22, pump I and other auxiliary apparatus that may be housed in the fairing cone I3. The spent gases leaving the turbine are discharged through the propulsion nozzle 26 at a high velocity so that the remaining energy in the motive uuid is available to propel the aircraft.. The tailpiece I25 is preferably axially movable with respect to the casing II so that the back pressure on the turbine and the Jet effect produced by the nozzle may be varied.

A portion of the fuel supply controls, such as the temperature control Il, may be conveniently housed lwithin a tunnel II, formed in the top of the casing II, which tunnel also houses lubricating and fuel oil pipes and ignition wires.

The fuel supply system for the burner tube comprises the pump I8, which is of the constant displacement type and driven by theturbine so that its output is independent of presure and depends only on the rotational speed of the turbine shaft, the barometric relief valve II, the shaft-driven speed governor I1, constituting the subject-matter of the present invention, and the temperature limit control valve I4. Por a detailed .description of the valve Il, reference may be had to U. S. Patent No. 2,404,428 of D. Bradbury. granted on July 23. 1946.

0f the three fuel control devices II. i1 and II, herein shown, only the barometric relief valve II and the temperature control valve actually by-pass fuel. The governor I1 acts on the fuel supply by reducing the outlet passage, thereby increasing the pressure at the upstream side thereof with the result that more fuel is bypassed at the barometric control il. For a detailed description of the barometric relief valve. reference may be had to copending application Serial No. 554,992, led September 20, '1944 and to the assignee of the present application. An abstract of this application was published May 2, 1950 and the application is now abandoned.

The governor control apparatus, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I1. includes a easing Il (Fig. 3) adapted to house the governor mechanism, indicated in its entirety by the reference character I2. This governor mechanism comprises a vertical shaft I3 adapted to be rotated by beveled gears II and 5I, carried by the vertical shaft I3 and a horizontal shaft Ihrespectively, the latter shaft being adapted to be rotated by the aircraft prime mover. The vertidepending from an annular weight-supporting structure 5I, having an upstanding rim or flange 59 adapted to support a strap or leaf spring 6I.

Preferably, the leaf spring 6| has its terminal portions disposed between lower and upper spacing members $2 and 63, respectively, the spacing pieces and the strap terminal portions being secured to the supporting rim or flange 59 by suitable means, such as the bolt 64 and nut 65 threaded thereon.

A pair of elongated weights I6 are mounted on the strap member 6I, adjacent the terminal portions of the latter, and are secured thereto by studs 61 and cooperating nuts 6I, the studs preferably being formed integral with the weights and extending through the strap and through lower and upper spacer pieces 69 and 10, respectively, disposed at opposite sides of the strap.

Preferably, both ends of the spacer pieces 6! and 1I and the inner ends of the spacer pieces $2 and 63 arer rounded to prevent application of undue stresses to the strap 6l during bending of the latter in response to movement of the weights as a result of changes in speed of the governor mechanism. If desired, the spacer pieces II and 1I may be further secured to the strap Il by suitable means, such as the rivets 12.

'I'he strap 6| is provided with a central bent section 13, to which is secured a ball cage 1I by means of an integral stud 15 extending through an opening in the bent portion of the strap and having threaded thereon the nut 1i. A ball 11 is mounted in the ball cage 14 and engages the lower end of a valve stem or relay 1I having at its upper end the cup valve 19 adapted to deilne, in cooperation with the flat valve seat Il of the valve seat insert I2, an annular orifice through which fuel must pass in flowing from the pump to the combustion apparatus.

The valve seatinsert I2 ilts snugly in a mating recess or opening I3 formed in the speed changer block I4, the latter being vertically adjustable in the upward extension I5 of the governor housing Il. While the speed changer block Il can move vertically in the housing extension II. relative rotation of these two parts is prevented by the pin II, carried by the housing extension, and extending into the vertical groove I1 'formed in the side of the speed changer block.

The upper end of the speed changer block is threaded. as at II, for engagement with the speed changer nut It, resting upon the kupper edge of the housing extension II. It will be apparent that rotation of the speed changer nut II causes vertical movement of the speed changer block Il, inasmuch as the latter is prevented from rotating by the pin I6, and that such vertical movement of the speed changer block produces a change in the size of the annular orifice between the cup valve l! and its valve seat Il.

Rotation of the speed changer nut II may be effected by any suitable means, such as the speed changer lever Il, having an extension Ila through which it may be moved by suitable mechanism (not shown) by the operator of the alrcraft from a remote location.

In order that infinite adjustments of the speed changer block may be obtained, the speed changer lever 9| is connected to the speed changer nut I! by suitable removable means, such as the screw 92. Obviously, before the screw 22 is put in place, the nut may be adjusted to the approximate desired vposition and then the c al shaft Il carries at its upper end a sleeve I1 75 screws I2 applied, the speed changer nut Il then 5 being movable through the limits of the speed changer lever operating mechanism.

All backlash eifect in the threads l is removed by means of the compression spring 0l. which presses upwardly against the bar QI, secured to the casing extension by-the bolts 95, and presses downwardly against the bottom of the cupshaped member $6, which has a threaded connection, at 91with the bore l0 in the speed changer block, this bore providing. below the cupshaped member 90, a chamber 09 to which fuel is supplied by the fuel pump through the conduit |0l.

Fuel is adapted to pass from this chamber 0! to the annular orifice between the cup valve 1! and its seat 0| through the bore |02 in the valve seat insert 82. Fuel passing through the annular oriiice controlled by the cup valve I9 reaches the space |03 communicating through the discharge line I with the combustion chamber.

In order to provide for minimum friction of the valve stem 18 with respect to the valve stem bearing sleeve |05, carried by the depending portion of the speed changer block Il, there is provided a double leak-olf system aroimd the valve stem 18, this double leak-off systemk not only minimizing friction but also avoiding leakage of fuel past the valve stem to the adjacent parts of the governor mechanism. To this end, the bearing sleeve |05 is provided with a radial opening |08 communicating through a conduit |01 with the fuel tank, whereby the major portion of the leakage 'past the valve stem is returned directly to such tank. A radial opening |00 is provided below the opening |00 and communicates with the annular groove or recess |09 in the speed changer block, this annular groove being connected by the passage with the conduit ||2 leading to a vacuum pump (not shown) for discharge to the atmosphere of any iinal leakage.

In operation, the governor operates substantlally as follows: Upon an increase in speedof the prime mover, the weights Si will move radially outward, resulting in flexing of the strap 6| and upward movement of the central portion thereof including the ball 11. 'I'his upward movement of ball 1l will produce corresponding upward movement of the relay 18, thereby reducing the cross-sectional area of the annular orice through which fuel passes from the chamber 99 and passage |02 to the chamber |03. This decrease in cross-sectional area of the annular orice between the cup valve 'I9 and its seat 1| will produce a reduction in flow of fuel through the conduit |04 to the combustion chamber of the prime mover with consequent reduction in the speed of the prime mover to an extent suiilcient to return the speed of the latter to where it was prior to the increasing in speed causing the change in weight position.

Conversely, upon a drop in speed of the prime mover, the weights will move radially inwardly with consequent lowering of the central portion of the strap 6| and the ball 'Il carried thereby.

The relay I8 and its associated cup valve 'IS will be moved inwardly in following relation to the ball l1 by the pressure of the fuel acting upon the surface of the cup valve, this downward movement of the cup valve increasing the ow of fuel through the annular discharge orifice provided between the cup valve 1! and its seat 0| sufficiently to return the prime mover to its original speed. A

It will be apparent that. with the construction herein illustrated, there is provided means, re-

sponsive to changes in speed of an aircraft prime form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited; *but is susceptible of variouschanges and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is: I

1` In apparatus including a gas driven turbine, means forming a combustion chamber for the fuel to provide motive iluid for the gas turbine, a fuel supplying and controlling means, the combination which comprises a. fuel container suitable for liquid fuel, a speed governor, conduit means for moving fuel from the container to the speed governor, said speed governor including means deiining a pressure chamber into which fuel from the container enters, a fuel outlet conduit communicating with the said chamber, a metering valve having an end portion facing the discharge end of the outlet conduit and a valve stem movable between outlet opening and outlet closing positions, said metering valve controlling the flow of fuel from the pressure chamber. a valve stem bearing in which the valve stem is freely slidable, said bearing having a radial opening through its side in communication with the surface of the valve stem, a return conduit connecting said radial opening and the fuel container, said valve stem being joined at one end to the metering valve which is exposed directly to the pressure of incoming fuel in the pressure chamber which pressure urges said stem and valve toward outlet opening position, and means in driving relation to the turbine and solely responsive to the speed of the turbine for exerting a pressure on the opposite end of the valve stem urging the valve toward its outlet closing position.

2. The combination of claim l further dened in that the valve stem bearing has a second radial opening spaced from the pressure chamber, said second opening being in communication with the surface of the valve stem and being more removed from the pressure chamber than the iirst named radial opening, and evacuating means connected to said second radial opening.

3. A speed governor for controlling the flow of liquid fuel to a power plant, said governor including means forming a pressure chamber. ,means forming a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet in communication with the pressure chamber, a valve for the pressure chamber said valve positioned to be movable between outlet opening and outlet closing positions, said valve having a valve stem, a valve stem bearing in which, the valve stem is freely slidable, said bearing being provided with two radial openings through its side, said radial openings being spaced from the said pressure chamber and each other, means communicating said openings with the exterior of the speed governor, said valve facing said outlet opening and having a pressure area exposed directly to the pressure of fuel in the pressure chamber urging said valve toward its outlet opening position, and means including fly weights and a drive connection for exerting a pressure on the opposite side of the valve through the valve stem urging the valve toward its outlet closing position with a force proportional to the speed that the drive connection is turned, so that increase in the rate of turning of said drive connection when driven 7 to the power plant and hence reduce the speed of Number the said power plant. 1,900,385 JAMES L. MALONB. 1,906,334v MATTHEW Hamm 2.370.178 i 2,385,201 REFERENCES CITED 2,411,005 The following references are of record in the 412339 me oi this patent: 14401333 UNITED STATES PATENTS n, Number Name Date Number 1,330,788 Couture Peb. 17, 1920 520,993 1,556,293 Martin Oct..6, Y19115 Name Dite Kahr 1hr. '1. 1933 Rathbun )ny 2. 1933 Blazer June 12. 1945 Gottlieb' Sept. 18. 1945 Sylvester Nov. 12. 1948 Push et al Dec. 10. 1946 Doble -L-; Apr. 27. 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 30. 1940 

